To Love a Theif
by Helbaworshipper
Summary: A fairy tale, alternate version of Alice 19th. Princess Alice Seno is thrown in the front lines of an ever growing war between the lotis and the maram one fateful day. With all the fighting going on, will she find peace with the lotis?
1. Chapter 1

To Love a Theif

By: Helbaworshipper (AKA 'Helb')

Chapter 1

"Princess Alice!" A female voice resounded through the halls as it hit its target. The target stirred a little before hearing the next line, "You're going to be late for your magic tutor!" The recipient jolted up almost completely out of control as her body moved up almost as if a needle had been stuck up her bottom half. A thick brown book was laid out on her lap, opened and one page was half folded. She sat up as her thin hands placed a red ribbon down the page she had stopped before helping the page that was folded to be straight for a little while. She stood up, moving as she pulled up the book and looked at herself in the mirror. She placed the book down on her half made bed as she straightened her hair to look a little more royal as she smoothed her dress. "Are you going to be even more tardy for your lesson!" She opened the door, seeing her annoyed servants face as she nodded.

"I'm sorry, Maki. I'll be going now." The servant seemed appeased with the reply as she ran through to the east wing of the family castle. The stones clattered as she ran, her heels making her hold her dress up. As if keeping up to get to the room was hard enough, she twisted towards the room...about to trip.

"Running in heels isn't safe for even one as royal as yourself." Her tightly closed eyes opened, she was close to the ground. Her feet had only been standing on her toes, and a strong arm was holding her up at her abdomen. It was just below where she would have felt a little violated, and she began to move up slowly. Her feet began to regain their normally stable position as she pulled herself up to look at her savior. At first she began to see a smile that almost glowed and oozed hatred if you looked close enough. His eyes matched the smile, and the well kept brown hair matched his smile.

"I was only rushing to meet you, Eric."

"As flattered as I am Princess, I wouldn't want to see you getting yourself hurt over my lessons." He led her into his lesson room, full of books on Lotis and Maram that were at least twenty years old, from the old tutor that would teach Mayura Lotis. The covers were rebound five years ago, but the pages were still frayed and almost as if desintegratable. She took her seat in the leather chair as she made herself look like her royal heritage as she looked towards the ruby statue of Master Lotsuan. "Have you mastered 'sama' yet?"

"I've been trying my hardest, but I have been unable to master such Lotis again. I haven't made any progress, no matter how much I've tried." She looked at the lukewarm tea as she tried to look away from her Lotis tutor. Her eyes looked downward, trying to hide her embarassment as she gripped weekly at the leather chair arms. His hands reached around, pulling her chin up as his smile and face tried to cheer her up.

"You have not displeased me at all, princess. You have the stubborness of your mother, and your father's talent for trying. I'm sure that with a little more help, you can probably end this war." His smile continued to ooze the familiar hatred as she nodded in continuation. "How about we learn a new word? We can return to sama later."

"Okay." She smiled as he pulled out another lotis book.

"How about 'Rangu'?"

Lotis Theif Headquarters...

A male was shaken awake as he heard another yell in his direction. "Kyou! Get up! We have a meeting and you're going to be late!" His head jerked up as he remembered the fervent reminders. He stood, quickly getting dressed as he pulled on his Mirror of Lota. He opened the door to face his current partner, Billy Macdowel. "You didn't even fix your hair, did you?" Kyou looked at the dismal bedhead he had gotten as a result of sleeping late.

"I'll fix it, when does the meeting start?"

"In ten minutes."

"Okay, I'll be right there to absorb the information." Kyou fixed his hair, using his almost too expirienced fingers as he moved with Billy to the simple meeting room. Scipio, the leader of the Lotis Theives stood on a makeshift wood platform. The rest of the floor was covered in used cushions to sit or stand on.

"Late as usual Kyou? Then you get the job of rescuing the in danger Seno princess."

"I guess I deserve it."

Seno Kingdom...

Alice sat alone in the royal family room, the large table contained no family. Before Mayura was married, she would often talk to Alice about things that had to deal with her life. Now her sister was married to a man in Norway. She had no idea of the name right now, but she just sat and hoped that her family would somehow return. Her parents had been gone much longer than intended, and no one knew where their conference had ended up now. However, she was stuck there no matter what she chose to do. Her fork poked at the potatoe, causing it to merge more with the ketchup covered beef. It was then she felt something very odd, when had the shaking sensation started occuring!


	2. Chapter 2

To Love a Theif

By: Helbaworshipper (AKA 'Helb')

Chapter 2

Eric sat safely in the backup Seno castle, watching the currently used one to begin shaking. He had waited awhile for Alice Seno to get the right words wrong. Now he watched with a rich and almost completely full of hatred smile. Alice Seno was a well birth righted Neo Master, hence the reason her sister had the other less deserving teacher. He now waited for the delivery of his future tool.

Seno Castle...

Alice couldn't move from her spot, fear entered her mind as she imagined being swallowed up by the huge castle she had lived in all her life. However, someone's hand began to drag her body through the crumbling wings of the castle. She could feel and hear the pouring rain soaking into her dress and her hair as she was dragged. She could hear her dress tearing as her body was unable to hold up the frail fabric from being too clingy to her annoying heels.

"Utei!" A male voice was calling out, and the servant began to morph. Her wrist was still held tightly by the servant, who began to use it's black maram to hold her to its back. "Give me the girl!"

"She belongs to Darva, Lotis theif." The monster who was once a servant began to pull her abdomen to its back, holding her in a way to bar her from looking at the source of the voice.

"She doesn't belong to you yet, let me have the girl." She felt her legs beginning to give in to some of the strange holds trying to tug her. She began to feel so drowsy, and her concentration wasn't helping very much either.

"Raji-"

"Aleto!" The monster began to leave existence as she began to fall forward again. Another body stopped her ascent and began to pick her up bridal style. "It'll be okay, you're safe now." Her eyes finished their descent to sleep, and she slumped into the male voice's abdomen.

Darva's Castle...

Eric's eyes followed the room for any sign of the fruits of his labor. His only reward so far seemed to be the endless amount of waiting for his other subordinates to return with the good news. It was then his eyes met a figure running into the room with the speed of one being attacked by a wild boar. It was Kayna, he could tell from the white mask with the red rose mask on her visage. "Master Eric, terrible news has arrived from the Seno castle." This made him remove his black mask with three white stripes on each side.

"What happened!"

"When we sent the servant to obtain and protect Alice Seno from the grasp of any lotis, we found our plan had somehow leaked to the Lotis Theives. The servant tried his best to keep the princess from the sent in hero's grasp. He was purified before we could send any reinforcements to help the servant."

"We can't focus on our failures, we still haven't had the time to assimilate a plan that seems well. I believed that if we nicked it on the bud at first before they got involved, we could skip that factor all together. For now we will have to spy on her progress and see when we can find an opening to use _her_."

Lotis Theive's headquarters...

The shape on the bed in the one of the guest rooms of the newest refugees began to move as it began to open its eyes. The shape slowly became female, making a slow and almost completely confused state seem odd. It was then it hit her, she wasn't in her home or even her room anymore. "Where in the world am I!" Her voice went high from bottom of her frail body. Another shape that seemed to wake from the call that resounded from the female figure on the bed.

"You sure wake up even the mice when you're away from home, aren't you?" The voice from last night! She looked at the source more closely now as the oppurtunity presented itself. The male was dressed in spoiled servants clothes and his hair looked a bit dishivelled. His eyes were almost royal looking and his face had this sort of look that placed people in their place.

"Who are you?"

"Kyou Wakamiya."

"Wait, aren't you the one that I was supposed to be engaged to?"

"Yeah, before the kingdom collapsed. Darva did the same thing to my kingdom years and years ago." His body raised from the chair, pulling out from the strange matierial she couldn't seem to discern the exact composition too.

"What am I doing here?"

"Scipio will tell you all about it." He made his way to the door as his voice began to reverberate out louder than her first reaction. "Mei Lin!" Once he had exited the room into the cushioned hallway. The next person that ended came into the room holding a bundle of clothes. Her hair was in a bun that expanded to a pony tail that reached just below her waist. Her clothes were like the other person's, except that it was a female version. Her eyes and face looked royal as well.

"Are you also a royal that was attacked by Darva?"

"Yes, I'm from the lotis kingdom located in China. You should get changed so you can go and get your answers fast." Alice took the bundle offered and began to slide out of her torn and ruined pale pink silk dress. Her body felt more comfortable wearing the spoiled servants clothes, it was then she noticed that no one seemed to be wearing shoes. The female beside her seemed to notice this, probably experienced with the first hand experience herself. "We don't wear shoes unless we're training Alice, don't worry about the halls." The said blushed and nodded as she was led through the hall. She was finally led to one of the wood doors, which was painted ruby and knocked. She walked through the door and came face to face with another person as the door shut.

"Welcome to the Lotis theives, I'm Scipio."


	3. Chapter 3

To Love a Theif

By: Helbaworshipper (AKA 'Helb')

Chapter 3

The man radiated a sort of energy that made you feel as if in the arms of someone who could make you feel all better. She couldn't say a word before the man responded by leading her as he spoke. "I know well of who you are. Relax, I understand that you have been under a tremendous shock." He placed a cup of tea in a chipped tea cup as he sat down in his usual spot in the cushions. "I know well of the many names you share with each side of this war. Alice _Rangu_ Seno, as well as Alice _Shini_ Seno." She remained speechless as she remained staring at his face with her fingers in reach of the cup of tea. "You are welcome to question me at any time, Alice."

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Do you remember Eric the lotis tutor?"

"Yes, he is really good at teaching the lotis. He's always been very supportive, yet he always seems to ooze this hatred."

"Well, then I suppose that you have also seen a bit of his true nature. This may seem to make more sense to you than it did to Kyou, who barely saw him. He is Darva, the leader of the evil maram words. I am Scipio, also known as lotsuan. I lead the movement to hinder the darva's path. Too much darkness can hinder the very light that creates it. Do you remember Neyozka?"

"You mean the rabbit that my parents had given me when I was born and died two years ago, a few months after Mayura's marriage?"

"Yes, that was sent to watch after you. Since you are also a neo master, he wanted possesion of you before we were able to hinder his cause. However, Neyozeka no longer was able to protect you as a virus began to destroy her body slowly. Your behavior was easily read as they replaced the currently not working tutor of your sister." Alice felt as if her entire world had been turned around as she tried to grasp the knowledge she had just recieved. "I'm going to assign you to a partner, the other neo master in known history. You were to be married to him."

"You mean Kyou?"

"Yes, he will be a good partner to help you train your lotis."

Training room...

Kyou sat down, wiping sweat from his own brow. "Wow, you really have gotten better at using Sakua Chris." The smaller and much younger blonde boy nodded with much vigor as he placed himself down near a larger man. "I almost thought you'd have lost to Billy again."

"Well, I've been practicing a lot more...and getting used to Billy's punches." The larger man stood and pulled the blonde into a noogie position. The blonde playfully tried to con his way out of the hold that had been started by the larger man. It was then that Mei Lin's playful smirk that brought them to see that something had happened outside.

"We have a huge announcement!"

Audience room...

A makeshift platform made from semi-standard wood remained well stood up as the lotis theives watched the woman hiding behind their leader. Their leader made their way to reach the male in the back who had just arrived. "Kyou, congratulations on your first partnership training mission. Good luck training Alice Seno."

Darva's Castle...

"Master Eric, we have seen very little progress. There is no doubt that Scipio plans to train her to be able to fight you. However, he will have to train her in the field sooner or later. We believe that is the best time to do so." The leader of all evil maram nodded to the report, pulling his finger from the position he had previously placed on his mask corner.

"Then you can get a plan together that works this time?"

"We will use _her_ and make sure it works this time. We will take this mission personally Master Eric."

Training room...

Kyou just finished doing a few hours of initiation training, sitting down by the very tired female near him. Alice definetly needed a lot of work in his opinion, and her word reptoire was rather small for the person she was trying to fight. "How many words have you actually mastered?"

"Only five." Her face turned away from him as she pulled one of her hands up to keep a count. "Mano, Rangu, Riiya, Dana, and...Iru." Each word had her press a finger down as she recounted the words.

"A good start, go get some rest for the night Alice."


	4. Chapter 4

To Love a Theif

By: Helbaworshipper (AKA 'Helb')

Chapter 4

A figure woke to the rising sun, her complection a rosy pink in the cheeks. Her experienced fingers tugged the familiar fabric over her body and to the foot of the bed. One large movement placed her in a sitting position. A thin makeshift white gown of cotton shifted with her now more atheletic figure. The muscles were much more toned than when she had first arrived. The first month had passed quickly for Alice, keeping her so busy that she had forgotten about the situation that had brought her here. Trying not to stay idle too long, she placed a hand to the bundle of clothes she had folded neatly the night before. She changed with vigor as she finally looked at the mirror and smiled. "Ready for another day of training!" She smiled before closing the door behind her. She turned toward the mess hall and was about to turn when...

"GOOD MORNING!" Mei Lin's cheerful face came into view, causing the ready woman to fall back onto her butt. Alice's eyes looked a bit dazed before responding, brushing the feathers that had raised from the cushions. She contained her anger before continuing to talk to the outspoken female.

"Good morning Mei Lin, where is Kyou today?"

"He's been doing his usual training phase today, and he's talking with Scipio right now. Want to eat some food?"

"I was just going to."

"Then what are you waiting for!" The older woman tugged her through to her spot in the table.

Scipio's room...

Kyou still sat with some sort of vigor as he watched Scipio sip his tea in silence. He had been speaking softly at the moment, but he was losing patience."I just don't understand why I'm the one training her with the lotis. She's still so far away from my level of mastery!"

"You were once like her."

"I know, but I -"

"Billy once had this talk with me about you." The leader took his hand away from his cup of tea to pat the other's back and gently raise the other's face to him. "His reasoning was not your experience, but how you were raised."

"What do you mean?"

"Billy had grown up a pheasant, the United States had kingdoms of very little gold value. He grew up on the streets, learning lotis as he could hear it from other kingdoms. His parents kept him well groomed for the area, but I had a hard time finding him."

"What was his...maram name?"

"Billy _Teiru_ Macdowel."

Mess Hall...

The seat had remained empty, and a fork still poked at the barely dissapearing food. Alice's mind kept thinking about it, Kyou's eyes had always made her feel safe. Mei Lin, who had quickly reserved the seat across from Alice had spied the look of deciet...or the feelings of love in her mind. "So, do you like Kyou?" The distracted female made a movement to keep up with the sudden addition to the equation in her mind.

"He's my partner and all, so we've been friendly and all."

"I'm asking if you like him more than a friend."

"I don't believe that I should allow such and ideal for a training partner."

"Well, you never know." Alice, having been surprised by the comment of vague origin and many oppurtunities. Maybe she would know something that she could never get out of Kyou.

"Have you ever heard Kyou's maram name?"

"What brings this up?"

"Kyou doesn't like talking about his past, and I don't like to pull out such things out of the blue with him."

"Well, I suppose I can tell you." The questioned female said with a satisfied smirk, pulling a piece of her toast to her mouth. "I believe it's Kyou _Rambito_ Wakamiya."

"Hey, is it snowing outside?"

"No, why do you ask?"

"I feel rather...c..." Alice collapsed as darkness that kept bringing in the sub-zero cold.

Scipio's room...

A rush of sound began to pounce on the the cusions lining the hallways. The door was flung open and the talk ended abruptly as both males in the room met the gaze of every other member of the lotis theives. "Scipio..." Chris' young body said, almost out of breath as he must have been pushed into the door opening accidentally. The leader nodded as he let the young blonde gain his breath. "Alice...she's just had her first brush with Darva's power."

Alice's mind...

The area around her was so dark she could not see past the very body she had. Where was she? Where had she been? The cold was taking away her ability to think or even fight to remain warm. The word she had wanted to say left her body just as fast. **"Do you think that she will make it to fight us?"**

_**"Impossible, she cannot master all the lotis words she needs with the time she has been with them."**_

**"Your influence is impossible to get off."**

**_"We will soon have her in our hands, she will have no time to master the lost word."_**

With that last line, she felt her senses returning to her as she could feel heat returning to her body. Her eyes began to close, and a white void replaced the black one.

Scipio's room...

She opened her eyes, finding it was indeed Scipio's room that she was now in. The familar feel of cushions were under her body as she found herself much weaker than she had started the day. The movement of one finger seemed to stimulate no movement. Her arms tried to prop her up, but failed in her obviously weakened state. "Take it slow, your first brush will always be your hardest to take."

"First brush?"

"By gaining the power of the lotis, you gain the power to hear the name and feel the power of your enemy. Your enemy will be exposed in your first brush."

"You mean, Eric?"

"Yes, Kyou." The male beside him now began to come in her view. She blushed at his extremely worried facial expression.

"What is it?"

"Would you take Alice for a walk? It may help her feel better."

"Yes." He placed his partner's arm over his shoulder and propped up her body as they moved through the halls and into the garden. He found the garden vacant, a perfect condition to have a private talk with her. "Alice, would you like to hear a story?"


	5. Chapter 5

To Love a Theif

By: Helbaworshipper (AKA 'Helb')

Chapter 5

Ten years ago...

Kyou stood as he looked at the vanity his mother had made specially for him, the white enamel a soothing ruby around the edges. It must have cost her more than a fortune or even a close call with a few people. His mother had died a short time before his father had gone away. However, he didn't know how to run the kingdom like his mother and father had done together. In his hands held a picture of his supposedly to be fiance from the Seno Kingdom. All he knew was that there was something about her that he had to see for himself. He smiled a moment before going outside the door, what was going on there? The castle had begun shaking for no apparent reason, and he had no idea why. "Kazuki! What's going on!"

"Your majesty, there has been a destruction of the center tower! Your lotis tutor was supposed to go there for a meeting, and has not returned since." The blonde nodded to the black haired royal in front of him.

"Where is Eric when we need him the most? Find him quickly and make sure to hasten your search!" The servant nodded before running towards the destruction of the central tower. The young king ran through to the lotis tutoring room to find an answer. Inside it he tugged open what books he could find and read a bit on each. The castle's shaking continued still as he tried to find a solution to the problem. He returned to the hall after finding no solution, completely missing any signs that had been in front of his eyes. He returned to find a still shaken Kazuki in front of his door.

"Eric left the castle, and there is no sign of a way to save the castle! Please get out of here quick your majesty!" The blonde's face began to fall as his eyes began to shut. It was then Kyou saw the death arrow in his private servant's back. Kyou grasped the picture of his betrothed before feeling the rubble of the castle began to overtake his room. The hallway began to collapse as he felt someone pull him away from the rubble. However, his conciousness had been hit with a few pieces of stray rubble and could barely see his savior.

The lotis garden (present day)...

"Why did you only grab my picture? You could have taken anything else except my picture. There's no point having a picture that will have no value to you in the future." Her hands quickly tugged at the bench she had been laying against him on. He pulled her back down and placed an arm of comfort around her waist.

"It did, I met you and found you more than just a fiance."

"What do you mean? It's just a picture..."

"It's a picture of a woman I'm in -" Alice's face changed to shock as she tried to wriggle away from him, she had to get her head together and get these feelings straight. How could he have been so blunt right as she was confused of her own feelings? She stood wobbily as she tried to move her body through the garden. However, her energy still had yet to return to her, so she began to fall once again as Kyou padded her fall and helped her sit on the bench once again.

"I have yet to figure out my own feelings myself, and you confuse me more..."

"I know, and I have yet to figure out my own emotions Alice, I cannot tell if this is more than friendship."

"I see...could you help me to my room?" They both smiled as Kyou gook his prior position and nodded to her in response. He let her move her legs more as he felt she could handle the pressure of moving her legs. When they had arrived, Kyou kept himself to look away as she changed into her night wear. She pulled up the covers before letting him look over at her once again. He smiled before placing a hand to her revealed hand. Her face still looked as if worried about someone else.

"What's wrong?"

"Has anything happened to Mayura? I've already figured out my parents won't be coming home anymore. I had already figured it out without Scipio telling me. The maram could have also killed my sister..."

"Nothing has happened in Norway. Your sister and her husband are well guarded by other lotis thieves. Her husband was saved from Norway, there's no one better to protect her."

"I see, Kyou, would you...sleep with me tonight? I know it's stupid and you can always say no."

"Well, give me a moment, someone's knocking at the door."

"Okay." Her eyes took a moment to relax before allowing him to open the door. He met Scipio's face at the door, and he closed the door behind him as he waited for what Scipio was to say.

"Alice will be starting her field test in a few weeks, begin testing her with a simulation."


	6. Chapter 6

To Love a Theif

By: Helbaworshipper (AKA 'Helb')

Chapter 6

Alice woke that morning with a heavy heart. After being in the safety of the lotis theives for so long, she was to take her very first field test. She had often heard stories about a field test out in the world of the maram. Scipio had often mentioned how the war had changed the balance between the maram and the lotis. In her pack contained a week full of food, a few blankets and clothing. If she could survive out her first field test, she would be able to go on a field test with a partner. Hopefully the test wouldn't be as bad as some of the stories had turned out. She pulled the pack to her back as she tugged it up and went outside, everyone was waiting for her to appear. Scipio stood before all of them, leading her to the boundary of Kara that protected them. "We are not allowed to help you in this test. We all wish you luck and for your safety." She nodded before letting her body leave the protection she had been in for only two months at the most.

Darva's Castle...

"Master Eric, the field test has initiated. Kayna has reported that she has just left the barrier." Shinigami kept a low bow as he noticed his master making a sign with his hands. "She awaits your instructions."

"We will wait four days, and then we shall use _her_."

"Understood."

Field test (Day 2)...

The first day had been easy, there was a protection still there nearer to the kara barrier around the headquarters. Now she was deep within the territory that would offer her problems she had to solve. Part of this made her nervous, and part of it made her want to go on an adventure. "Part of me wishes this test were over already." She didn't know why she started to feel this way, but there was something wrong with this forest.

Lotis Thieve's headquarters...

Like every field test, all the lotis masters inside the headquarters would often worry over the person taking the test. Each time a field test was taken, Scipio would make his speech and then lock himself in his chambers and watch the field test for the whole week. He wouldn't even pause for a bath, which made some of them wonder why he watched the test so closely. However, they could only train and hope they would somehow get stronger while they waited.

Field test (Day 4)...

Night time now fell upon the forest once again, and Alice felt no action was ever going to get her. However, this part of the forest was colder and she had begun feeling more cold waves. She began to tug more wood for the fire she had started about ten minutes ago. She huddled close, since the fire was started with Iru and not a usual flame. The Iru would warm the body that is being sorrounded by the maram. Her eyes began to drift to a slow and almost comforting sleep until she heard a noise of feet. A quick Dana put out the fire and she hid behind a bush, looking at the person or creature coming towards her. The figure fell to their knees, seemingly holding an injury on her abdomen and limping with a small cut on their leg. When the figure stopped moving on the ground, she moved from the vegitation to look at the figure. "Maki!" The servant was still dressed in the last clothing she had seen her in the castle. A large gash was in the right side of her abdomen, under her arm. A twisted ankle also adorned her, which caused the severe limping. She pulled her blankets out and placed Maki on one,and made a pillow with the other. She had saved her dress from that night, and toresome of the fabric to clean up her former maid's body. She reset the Iru fire and set a Jiva on her servant to heal her wounds as if they had never existed at all.

The next morning, her servant began to awaken and found her body not as it had been for the past few days. "Princess Alice?" The figure near the fire nodded as she approached her in happiness.

"Maki! I was scared when you appeared out of nowhere, I'm glad you're all right."

"Where have you been princess? You look much different than me."

"I've been with these people who have taught me more lotis. Where have you been?"

"After the castle was destroyed, I was kept in a dungeon until late. Last night I was thrown out here, and I found myself wandering to a warm fire. Was it yours princess?"

"Yes, I'm glad you're okay, I should take you to my friends after my test is over."

"Princess?"

"Yes Maki?"

"I think I left something back where I was dropped off."

"You want to find it?"

"Yes, could you help me?"

"I suppose so."

Lotis Thieve's headquarters...

Scipio's eyes caught onto the problem, Maki could not have been there without a bit of Maram influence. He knew that he could not help, but there was a hunch that this would lead to more than just a failure on Alice's behalf, he should have been more protective. He knew something was wrong, but he just couldn't ascertain what it was.

Field test (Day 5)...

When the sun had just begun to fall down below to give the moon it's time to shine on the planet, they had arrived. The two had begun to search for Maki's lotis mark necklace. The necklace meant that she had worked on the lotis side of the war. However, her servant must have known that she had transformed it to maram while in the dungeon. The female that was her target had no idea that it had happened though. "Maki, I don't think that it is here."

"I swear it was here." The servant made a notion and her former charge made a new vigor to find the necklace once again. The servant made a notion to the two maram masters standing behind her as she was silenced to sleep. Apparently the royal had not heard the fall, and still continued to look until the female stealthily pulled her back, covering her mouth and holding her against a tree tightly. The royal had no time to fight before she was pushed to a sitting position and her hands and arms were tied around the strong trunk. Her mouth was about to utter a word before a gag was tightly pulled against her mouth. The fire she had started began to feel cold, and her lotis began to lose more power as the two went in front of her.

"Well, it wasn't too hard to do this, was it Samuel?" The tall female seemed to be speaking to the curly haired blonde beside her. Alice then noticed her fallen servant and tried to move, trying to chant the lotis in her heart. She had managed to pull her restraints off quickly before running to her servant. The two maram masters were on her side at once holding her down once again.

"She's still stronger than we had at first thought." The two began to restrain her again, now holding her closer to the maram fire they had started with jeta. She was powerless against the fire as the restraints were even stronger than before. "Well, let's just get her out of here. I'll take her and you get the servant."


	7. Chapter 7

To Love a Theif

By: Helbaworshipper (AKA 'Helb')

Chapter 7

The other lotis masters were surprised at the fact that Scipio had an announcement so early. It was close to midnight before they had seen him enter the room. He was in a new set of clothes and freshly cleaned. His eyes were full of some sort of justice as he came on the makeshift platform in front of everyone. "I have an announcement that will not please many of your hearts. I had not expected such an action so soon, but it has happened. Darva has taken Alice Seno, and we must now plan to rescue her."

Darva's Castle...

Her eyes opened as if she was being held down by lead weights, and her body couldn't move a finger without feeling the pain of a thousand needles. Her hands were free from the rope holding her the night before, and pain came from each wrist if she even twitched her finger. Her eyes began to adjust to the cold darkness and looked to find objects. There was a canopy with gold trim all around her, along with matching silk sheets and curtains. Even her attire felt as if it was draining her body, she couldn't see her lotis bracelet either. A door opened and shut all around her, and she panicked as the canopy was lifted. Maki's face entered her view, her lotis necklace had transformed to a maram one. "Princess Alice, Master Eric would like to see you."

"Maki, I cannot see him."

"He has missed you princess, will you at least speak with him?"

"I guess." Maki's body made it's way to the door, opening it to reveal the figure of her former lotis tutor. His robes fit his true nature, and oozed a hatred that overpowered her mental state. A fog even thicker than the fog caused by dana and iru used together began to form in her mind. She couldn't seem to process a word she could say to get out of the fog, and it's reach kept getting worse.

"My future queen, I ask you a request."

"I wouldn't be your queen if my lotis was the last power I could have in this war." Her voice pulled out with a sort of poison, making her captor's face begin to cringe. Her mind couldn't fight the fog enough to even grasp one word. In a last resort, she cleared her mind completely for only one word. "Raje-" A hand covered her own, and made the fog return to her formerly clear mind.

"Now, now, my future queen, we wouldn't want to jeoperdize the future. Lotis would quickly strike you ill in this castle." His body moved closer, keeping her mouth covered as he pulled her body on his lap. His free arm went around her own as he pulled her close enough to whisper into her ear. "I love you more than anything in this war riddled world." Fear struck in her heart as she let go of the vimuku that had been chanted in her heart enough for him to overpower it with his own dark power. "Now, shall I prove it to you?" She tried to shake her head no, but just as fast as she could mumble a word...his kiss of darkness struck her. Her body instantly fell into a rag doll state as he moved away and began to open the satin cover and sheet up. "I knew you'd see it my way."

Lotis Thieve's headquarters...

Kyou's body felt drained from lack of sleep, he could barely nap or sleep. His worry was escalating beyond the breaking point. He could then feel eyes on him in the lotis garden. Who exactly would be watching him? "Who's there?"

"Oh, I didn't notice that you had already seen us Kyou. I know that you are usually alert to others...but this is just plain pathetic." The male voice greeting him was no other than Frey Weilhausen, a former lotis thief with an unnatural love for jam. "My wife and I have much lower amounts of raw power, and you didn't even notice us. I thought you would since you always seemed to with me." The two sat down beside him on the bench as he moved away from them. The female had not said one word until they were full situated.

"I'm Alice's sister, Mayura Weilhausen. How have you been fairing with the current situation Kyou?"

"How do I look?"

"Is this all for my sister? Or have you fallen in love with her?" Kyou's eyes widened in response to the comment.

Darva's castle...

Her eyes opened as she felt much different, the light restraints of pain felt much better. In fact, they were gone from her mind and seemingly overtaken by the black energy around her. "My queen, do you desire nourishment?"

"I'm sorry for being so disobedient to my emotions. I would be denying my feelings if I were not your queen. I just-" His hand touched her own and smiled.

"My queen, it is not your fault at all. Now, answer my former question."

"Of course, I shall be getting ready while you get your business through." She kissed him quickly on the lips before he raised himself from the chair and left. His robes trailed behind him.

Throne room...

The four maram masters waited patiently for their lord to appear within the room. The door opened ajar, giving way to their leader's strong body to move through the area littered with gold embrodiry and black silk. He sat down on the throne and looked towards the four bowing before his throne. "Your report?"

"Scipio has done just as you have prophesized, Master Eric."

"Has he called all the other lotis masters to him?"

"The only kingdom he has been able to add to his forces is Norway."

"Has he brought the Weilhausens?"

"Yes, the only reinforcements he could recieve."

"Very well, I must get dinner ready for my future queen. Keep up your reports and make sure you don't get caught." The four bowed lower than their current position and dissapeared through a flurry of black rose petals. The male ruler smiled with contentment, and then proceeded to get a special dinner ready.


	8. Chapter 8

To Love a Theif

By: Helbaworshipper (AKA 'Helb')

Chapter 8

Alice looked at the mirror nervously one more time before shifting her hair into a more managable state. She anxiously awaited the appearance of her servant Maki, who would lead her down to the dining hall. The dress' sleeves were situated below the shoulder, and the sleeves went from there to half way below the elbows. A boa made of silk also was held in the crook of her elbows, the skin above the brest was also exposed. Her mirror of lota now looked gray, and almost taken over. However, a small speck of light remained on the mirror. A small and barely noticeable knock soon sounded at her door. "Princess Alice, dinner is ready."

"I'm ready." She made her way to the door, opening it to find Maki in much different attire. The future queen nodded before taking her place in the hallway as she was led through the many halls of the reformed castle. The lotis had completely been reformed to the maram ways and every detail had been changed to fit Eric's truly evil ideals. As Maki led her to the door, she opened the door to room with little effort and saw the feast before her. Her body moved, trying to find Eric before hands covered her own eyes.

"You look lovely tonight my queen."

"I tried to look as beautiful as possible, but it still feels as if I am not as complient as your already adornable beauty." A pleasurable smile reached her lips as she felt the hands leave her eyes and arms held her close.

"All you need to look like is my Alice _Shini_ Seno."

Lotis Thieve's Headquarters...

The night brought Kyou's half awakened state to keep him from the full rest he desired. His night shirt and pillow were covered in sweat and tears, and he couldn't seem to hide the fear and worry within his eyes. His body remained still under the covers as he tried his hardest to move through the matierial that seemed to be able to contain him into a prison. "Alice...I love you..."

Darva's Castle...

Alice's face contorted to the strange voice suddenly heard within her head. "My queen, what is wrong? Have we overcooked the meat?" The female shook her head in a 'no' and kept herself strong.

"No, I thought there was a warm breeze in here a moment." Her smile did very little to assure the male in sitting across from her, but he smiled back at her anyway. He nodded an assuring beam back before returning to dinner.

Lotis Thieve's Headquarters...

The next morning after breakfast, Kyou found himself training with Billy until Alice had returned safely to the sanctuary. He watched the maram master simuation in front of him, his mind not on the mouth and attack word used. "Shana!" The male maram master said as it was about to strike him in the stomach.

"Dana!" Billy's strong voice answered, stopping the attack right before it hit him in the stomach. The two sat down for a break, and the larger man pulled out something from his pocket. He handed it to Kyou, who recognized it as a biscuit. "You aren't eating much anymore, and your concentration is suffering Kyou."

"I know." Kyou began to nibble at the bread as he listened to the older male make another statement.

"Its Alice, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I'll say this to you for a warning. If a maram master can kill you in a simulation, then you can't fight the strong maram masters in his castle." Kyou nodded before he began to nibble again at the biscuit.

Scipio's Room...

The three figures within the room worried about the future of the wars outcome. Mayura and Frey Weilhausen sat in front of Scipio as the spoke of the plans they could barely be able to get done. "I fear for Kyou's safety, and for his powers. He has barely been able to progress since Alice's capture in her field test."

"I understand your fears, Mayura. However, we must keep in mind that as a neo-master he is responsible for it."

"Scipio, as the leader of lotis you should be urging him!" Her husband placed a hand on her own and shushed her with his free hand.

"Scipio is doing the best job he can, and it is up to Kyou that his powers grow."

"Frey, are you also being unsupportive of his endeavor!"

"He is not I can assure you Mayura. I believe Frey is right. Kyou will be a target, but now we must let him grow on his own."

Darva's Castle...

Eric's figure moved to the head of the table, Alice had been asleep for a few hours from her remedy. However, he had been able to calm her without another resistance battle against him. "Kayna, have you targeted the source of my future queen's problems?"

"Yes I have, it is Kyou Wakamiya."

"Is he strong enough to fight us in his current state?"

"No."

"Then we shall take advantage of that little weakness, tomorrow night you shall attack him." The four other figures nodded as they dissapeared in a flurry of rose petals again.

Kyou's room...

The next morning brought Kyou something even worse to him, the sheets that imprisoned him within his bed also seemed to be making him dizzy. The sun took to imprison his body as well, as it wouldn't let him dream of being free of the prison of matierials around him. A knock brought him to try and move towards the door, but the prison would not allow him to open the door. The person knocking came in with a slow and cautious step as the made their way towards him. His vision was bluring in and out of focus as he tried to see who it was. "Kyou?" The voice was male, so there was a male person here. A cool hand touched his head as he tried to focus more on the male person speaking to him. He had a focus on the male for a moment, and then lost it.

"Scipio."

"I see that you won't be training at all today, Mei Lin will be here soon to bring some sort of food to you." The figure in the bed nodded as his eyes were allowed to close and sleep.

That night brought him even worse punishment from his prison. He felt as if he could move around at will through some sort of energy wave of cold through the room. His eyes popped open more than once for this punishment. In his loss of concentration, he failed to notice the female maram master that had come out of the shadows of his room.


	9. Chapter 9

To Love a Theif

By: Helbaworshipper (AKA 'Helb')

Chapter 9

Kayna lay on her bed in anger, that lotis master had been able to fend her off more than even Samuel! Her eyes followed her leader as he seemed to be in thought. "Master Eric, I have shamed you and been too predicting of the lotis master's actions."

"You have no shamed me at all Kayna, this shows his power level at current. He shows no threat to us yet, you have done well." The male placed a hand to her mask and it assured Kayna that things would be all right.

_Her eyes nodded at the sickened lotis master as he moved from under his material prison, she walked closer to him. Her mask revealed itself as he looked at her in almost undeniable fear. "Who are you?"_

_"Maram Master Kayna, I have been sent to kill you. You are what lies between Alice Seno and Master Eric's destiny. You will die to free Alice Seno from her lotis binds." Her delight came as he began to widen his eyes from his shock. She took no chances before she spoke her next word, "Byoma!" The lotis master began to fall back as the fever began to intensify and push him back against bed._

_"You won't kill me that easily!" The lotis master rose, even though his fever raged even higher and tried to pull him to the cooling ground. His hands began to move, a lotis word comign into his mind. "Ruta!" A bow began to form within his hand, a bright ruby color adorning it. The arrow he pulled out had a large hook on it as he held it and shook almost with no foundation of strength. She was confident he would drop his bow just as fast as he formed it. Just as she was about to get her theory to work, the arrow flew right into the left side of her stomach._

Lotis Thief headquarters...

The prison felt much better than before as he opened his eyes once again. A much different feel around him as well, it was as if Jiva had come to restore his unneeded worry. "Good morning."

"Did...I hit the Maram Master?"

"Yeah, you did really well. How did it feel?"

"She said her name was Kayna."

"You really heard that!" The female beside him he knew was Mei Lin, but her voice now sounded as if surprised for some reason. She in reaction rose from the stool and ran through the halls for a short period of time before returning. Scipio was with her this time, and he himself looked almost surprised.

"Kyou, are you sure it was Kayna that her name was?"

"Yes, I'm sure Scipio."

"Well, if she's attacking you...then it most certianly means that Darva has his eyes directly on you. There are three Maram Masters that serve Darva directly and see him in his true form. They are known as: Samuel, Shinigami, and Kayna. If you were in fact attacked by Kayna directly, then it means you still have a hold on Alice that he himself cannot break."

"You mean there's still hope?"

"Yes, she's still in there with a light inside to fight with. Have you found what you truly desire?"

"Yes; she's waiting for me in that castle."

Darva's Castle...

Alice's form lay on the couch, a book on a maram word lay open on her chest. Her position was ladylike, and hid underneath her form fitting black dress. That's just the way Eric found her as he began looking the library for his queen. "My qu-" He stopped as he saw her asleep almost peacefully. He moved cautiously through the remaining distance in the library between them. He pulled the book carefully from her fingers and placed it in its place on the shelf. His hands touched her head carefully, it was warmer than he thought it would be. No doubt it was lotis fever that was doing such. He pulled her up slowly as he saw a servant come closer to him.

"Master Eric, Scipio has requested a connection with you."

"I see, allow me to place my future queen into a safe place before I do so."

"He has also requested to see that Alice Seno has been safe."

"Then I shall connect to him in my room, set it up to do so." The servant bowed before leaving the library, and he moved to the hall way. When he arrived at his room, he placed his queen under the covers, putting a special maram treated cloth to lower the lotis fever.

Lotis Thief Headquarters...

Scipio allowed Kyou to sit with him as the set up for the connection was fully placed in. "Do not speak unless I give you permission Kyou." The male nodded before the screen began to show the room he was in. The room was the very bedroom of their enemy, and he could see well that the person inside was not pleased. The male simply remained in his annoyed position. His angry green eyes seemed to peer through Kyou's soul, yet Scipio remained sitting as if nothing was wrong. "Eric, it has been ages since we have last seen face to face."

"Let's just get this over with." His eyes moved towards his hands the lotis master was happy to continue.

"May I see Alice Seno?"

"You may see her to see that's she's safe." He pulled his body off the bed to show the young woman laying down beneath the black silk covers. A maram cloth was over her head, keeping her lotis fever down most likely. Scipio's head turned to Kyou, who was trying to figure out what was wrong for her to be asleep, she began to wake a few minutes later.

"Eric..."

"My queen, you should rest."

"I'm sorry."

"It's quite alright, just go to sleep." The woman nodded with a smile as her eyes shut again, and he returned to blocking her from the lotis master's view. "As you can see, she's safe."

"And I see you won't be handing her back anytime soon."

"Would I hand back someone such as a Neo master? You know me well enough Scipio. As for your ideal world, you may fight to get her back. That is...if she _desires_ to back." The connection broke and Scipio's hand seemed to have been tugging at his own lota mirror.

"What did he mean Scipio?" Kyou was worried, what could Eric have meant by if _she_ desires?

"He's already tainted her with maram, she's under his control..." His head went down as if he had been hit hard in the stomach, he mumbled something before giving a sign to go away. "He never plays fair."


	10. Chapter 10

To Love a Theif

By: Helbaworshipper (AKA 'Helb')

Chapter 10

Scipio hadn't spoken to anyone after the incident with Darva, he simply stayed in his room and seemed to be thinking. Many wondered exactly what had happened, but even Kyou had no idea what exactly had happened. After some pleading, Mayura simply knocked on the door, which opened easily. She saw his room in dissaray as he was in the corner, sleeping against some of the shambled cushions. No one had ever seen Scipio in this type of state, and she had managed to rope her own husband to help her. The two managed to get Scipio into a more likely position and he simply looked terrible as well. His hair was all over the place, and his eyes had simply looked sickly. After doing such and closing the door, they managed to get Scipio to notice their presence. "I see I have been...out of it."

"That would be an understatement, is something going on? After the whole connection thing..."

"I am reminded of why I have a need to fight the darva myself. Yet I feel anger flowing through my usually calm veins of power."

"We would like to know exactly why you would have a grudge against the darva...but we have been afraid to ask you."

"It is as Lotsuan I must be calm, but as Scipio I find myself becoming angry at the one who would use such power for war. My only companion before becoming Scipio was killed by Darva, that is the reason." Mayura's face calmed down a bit more before offering tea to the leader once again. This time he took it and took a deep breath as if he were grateful for some sort of company. "We must attack him now, we have no choice."

Darva's Castle...

Alice could barely move, her body felt as if someone was trying to reach her. Who was it...calling her name? She woke abruptly as she could feel a lotis word being said into her mind. She pulled her robe over her body and ran down into the throne room, thrusting herself past the maram masters waiting and into her future husband's arms. She felt weak and the only remedy seemed to be from him. "My queen? Is something wrong?" He nodded for the others to leave while he comforted his future wife. He pulled her body a little further on him, so she sat in his lap and burrowed further into his robes. "My queen, if anything is wrong...then you must let it out." The figure in his arms nodded before placing her head out of his robes a little. Slowly her head emerged from the place within his robes.

"I was having a wierd nightmare...a person was calling me with-" She began to cry against him again, and he gently massaged her back as he nodded to himself. Her sentence end was muffled by his robes, but he knew what she was sayin. "lotis." He began to sing to her, using his maram to comfort her into sleep against his body. He called the masters within his throne room again.

"Master Eric, is it the lotis?"

"Yes, Shinigami. I believe it's time we prepared for our guests."

Lotis Thieve's Headquarters...

Scipio drew out the plan in the company of the people they had. Not even a hundred people would be enough, he needed skill and not a set amount of people. The amount he had would be enough based on skill. "Now, the first group will consist of Mayura, Frey, and Billy. As for the second group, we will come in after they have cleared a path. That will include myself, Kyou, Chris, and Mei Lin." The people nodded and began to leave to pack and rest for the night.

Darva's Castle...

Eric stared at his Maram Masters carefully before handing them their duties. "Shinigami, you will take Kyou Wakamiya as soon as he enters the castle and up to my bedroom. I will take care of him myself. Kayna and Samuel, you will distract the remaining lotis masters, I trust you will be able to?" The two nodded before they began to prepare their own supplies.

Forest near Darva's Castle...

The noon sun greeted the lotis masters with it's welcoming gaze. They were prepared for anything now, at least they thought. Mayura nodded before joining Frey and Billy to the entrance. The door opened with very little effort, and they knew it was not just a conicidence. The minute Kayna's form came in the light, they began to chase her in one direction. The next group approached, thinking they were clear until Kyou felt something grasp him from behind. Before he could muster a word from his lips, he was silenced with a Niru. The maram master dissapeared with Kyou as Samuel appeared and ran in another direction. The rest of the group had no choice but to follow him.


	11. Chapter 11

To Love a Theif

By: Helbaworshipper (AKA 'Helb')

Chapter 11

Kyou began to wake, he felt the cold and maram enriched castle carpet beneath him. He felt silk bed covers as he pulled himself up from the place he had been. His mind wondered for a moment, he had to somehow see where he was. "Rajei!" He saw a bedroom, and he turned towards the bed for a moment. He saw someone beneath the blankets, and a blob of brown hair that had grown in the past few weeks. He suddenly knew where he was, and he tried to run towards the figure in the bed. He was pushed back by a Vina barrier.

"I knew you'd do that, it is good I allowed Alice's maram to grow stronger during her time here." A male stood from a dark corner of the room, putting out Kyou's light with Karu. Maram lights slowly began to light the room. He could see the whole room now, but he knew Darva had somehow planned this from the beginning. "So, you really want to her?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then come and ask her to leave, I shall bow to only her will." He sat down in a chair in a corner as he watched Kyou try his will to get her back. He began to shake her a slight bit, hoping she'd wake. The female's eyes opened to meet his and looked quizically at the male in front of her.

"Who are you?"

"It's me, Kyou. Alice, I've come to take you home."

"I am home, why would I want to leave my fiance's company?"

"Alice, it's not what you think." Her eyes looked confused and then the female's eyes grew angry.

"Dara!" A strong wind knocked him back as the female left the bed quickly and ran to who she thought to be her fiance. The male placed her within his arms and assured his future queen everything would be all right. "I don't know him, Eric."

"It's okay my queen, our wedding is coming up soon. We should be getting ready. I assume you can handle him Shinigami." The maram master came out of the corner and stood in front of the passage the two had just taken. Kyou ran, trying to get past the experienced master of darkness.

"Manu." A wall covered the passage now, and all Kyou could do was try to break it. The master would not seem to allow him as he felt himself being attacked again by Dara.

"Let me through..."

"I highly doubt I would." Kyou stood up and took a deep breath to ready himself to think.

With Kayna...

The female was hidden well in the corner, watching the paranoid lotis masters try to hit her images. She had well worn them down to their last reserves of energy, but she knew her true objective. "Matsu!" Shackles held them down, and they didn't want to use the last of their energy quite yet. They tried to hide their trump card for later, and knew there was more than just some sort of attacking images. The room changed into an elaborate chamber designed for a maram wedding as the three were put beside the others who were restrained. Mayura looked at Scipio worried. His body looked worse than the rest of theirs.

At Darva's Bedroom...

Kyou couldn't think, how was he supposed to get past the master blocking him? Yet, he felt as if there were a word he could use to get past the male.

_"You still can't get past those Manu walls? There's quite a simple solution Kyou." Billy's hand touched his forehead as if in shock about the loss in skill. He pulled himself up from the ground, clinging to the wall._

_"I don't know how Billy, I mean...there's no word to destroy walls other than Ruta, right?"_

_"What if you don't destroy the wall?"_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"What if you can't destory the wall?"_

_"I don't know." The larger man took charge of the simuation and seemed to stand right in front of the wall. His body was about to be hit before he uttered one lotis word._

_"Sama!" A path opened, and the simuation ended._

He quickly returned from the flash back as he ran towards the maram master. "Sama." The path opened up right in front of him and he dodged the next Dara attack to send him back. Shinigami quickly destroyed the manu wall and ran towards the wedding chamber.

At the wedding chamber...

Eric stood with a maram robe adorned Alice as he waited for Shinigami to arrive. However, he noticed the path opening up next to the area he was. Then he pulled Alice behind him as he found it was that stupid lotis master. "How dare you try to defile such a special event, lotis scum!"

"I'm going to get Alice back!"

"Aren't you worried about your companions?" He pointed to the restrained lotis masters at the wall, and he showed Samuel holding a Rajika arrow and bow to kill anyone of them. "Now, be a good boy and go with your companions and you won't be harmed, for now." Kyou felt himself being pulled by Shinigami, who had just arrived. Kyou felt himself being pulled against a chair in the farthest corner from his companions. This time they didn't use maram, and his captor tugged his arms behind the chair painfully as he attached maram chains to his wrists that were levitated from his head. Unlike the others, his body was also restrained at the elbows and at his knees and ankles. He felt pain all over and couldn't seem to move an inch. He could only watch as the cermony began, and tried hard to use Vimuku. "Now, we shall begin."


	12. Chapter 12

To Love a Theif

By: Helbaworshipper (AKA 'Helb')

Chapter 12

Eric pulled Alice gently to the alter of maram that had been constructed only days ago. Her robes moved with almost stealth as the still lotis filled person followed him willingly. The invaders tried their best not to completely struggle and use their energy reserves. Scipio's mind thought of his only companion...who had died so painfully.

_"Neyozeka? What has happened?" He pulled the rabbit to his lap and listened to her labored breathing. The fly should not have been that hard to do, she had been trained well to keep up and still have lots of energy left. "Have things been well?"_

_"I'm getting so weak Master Lotsuan, and Alice has yet to learn enough to need your help." Her eyes looked pained as well, and he tried to heal her with Jiva. It did not work, and why did it not?_

_"I've asked the lotus tutor to try it as well, but it has not worked. I have been poisoned...no doubt a plan."_

_"Neyozeka, how long do you have left?"_

_"A few days."_

_"I shall fetch you as soon as I can with my strongest lotis. I will not let you die on me."_

Yet she died before he could even try and help her, and it angered him. He had to help everyone and save Alice from making the worst decision in her life. His body filled with his lotis as he chanted within his heart. _'Vimuku!'_ The chains released everyone, including Kyou who dropped rather clumsily to the floor. He ran towards Kyou, finding himself being protected by Mayura with the last of her lotis reserves. "Kyou, I need you to seperate Alice from Darva and wake her up, I shall fight him." The male nodded before running with Scipio and the others, who had been planned to distract the others.

Chris and Mei Lin managed to tug Shinigami away as they felt his dark claws try and stab them. However, Chris managed to avoid the attack barely enough to see the desuri and counteract it. Mei Lin looked a Chris a moment, and pulled out an Utei to find him a clump of dead souls. She didn't know how to exactly fight it at all, and looked towards Chris for some sort of sign. Chris made a motion toward's one of his ruby colored bracelets before they dodged another round of his rambito arrows. "Mano!" The two said together, making the maram master fall into pieces.  
Billy and the remaining lotis masters not in other battles tried to figure out what Kayna and Samuel's weakness was. They were barely in any sort of reserve of energy as well. Mayura made a notion, which was a huge gamble as Frey called out an Utei to expose their darkness. It had worked, so she and Billy managed to cleanse the two before getting injured by the awakened maram masters.

Alice and Kyou's battle...

She felt herself removed from the cold and comforting existence she had been around for only weeks. She was scared, but she would be his wife like she had promised. "How dare you remove me from my fiance!" The male looked at her more determined than the last time she had seen it.

"I was supposed to be your fiance, that man tried to taint you. You are a lotis master, not a maram master."

"You're wrong! Dara!"

"Shibi!" He dispelled the wind just as fast as she had found the word.

"Matsu!"

"Vimuku!" She was running out of energy, and her lotis fever was increasing more that she was away from her own supposed fiance. The male approached her, and her words wouldn't come, there was no energy to save her maram. "Alice, return to me...I love you."

"Deisuri!" A strong symbol pushed him away from her, she tried to move farther away, finding herself against the chair he had only recently been restrained in. "Get away from me!"

Darva and Lotsuan's battle

"Just you and me, eh Scipio?" Eric's smile sickened Scipio's mind, he had been planning this revenge for awhile...and it would not be destroyed by this man's ambition. "Should I kill you mercifully, or should I kill you like I killed Neyozeka?" The male's tone had changed to something of a grating motion, rather than some sort of hatred. His desired effect seemed to just appear in time.

"How dare you say her name! She was not supposed to die so painfully."

"Oh, did I hit a nerve?" The man approached him and he reacted with his lotis. The darker one knew how to easily counter an angry lotis master. He expertly watched the symbol the other was making as he predicted.

"Rajei!"

"Karu!"

"Riiya!" He just managed to avoid the sneak attack of the kick the other male had managed to get off while fighting with his words. "Vimuku!" He rose in the air with his wings, and stood up above Eric as he saw him targeting Alice in the distance. He wouldn't kill his wife, unless he... _'A trap...and I can't let Alice die.'_ He flew fast to catch the Rajika arrow, which hit him straight in the heart. Kyou looked as he heard a thud, and the lotis masters noticed it as well.

"SCIPIO!"


	13. Chapter 13

To Love a Theif

By: Helbaworshipper (AKA 'Helb')

Chapter 13

Scipio felt himself being lifted by Mayura, who looked at the arrow as the two other people watched carefully."Scipio!" Kyou ran to him and placed his hand to try and pull the arrow out with Sheto. "Don't die!"

"I'm afraid even I can die if I'm not careful, I never knew he would kill Alice if he had to..." Alice's eyes widened, and her body froze. _'Why would my fiance want to kill me?'_ The male currently being killed pulled Kyou weakly to his mouth, and whispered in his ears. "Namas...sad...ru...ma...ru...lo...tis...soti-" His body went limp as the arrow finally did it's job, Kyou didn't know what Scipio was saying, but he had to get Alice back to her senses.

"Alice, he tried to kill you! Why do you love a man who would threaten your life?" The girl had remained frozen and he had run quickly to keep her in one spot. The chair felt wierd as she felt the male tugging her up and embracing her tightly. "I love you, Alice." His head descended to kiss her lips deeply, she tried to fight his grip.

_"Alice?" A whimper was escaping her as she cried into the pillow, which looked half soaked. "What's wrong?" The woman didn't seem to have woken, but she was upset for some reason and having a nightmare. A sensation of someone shaking her awake kept her from her dreams._

_"Kyou? What are you doing in my room?" Her eyes were wide after being awakened from such a nightmare, and she felt his arms around her again._

_"I heard you crying and you were asleep."_

_"I was crying?" She looked at her pillow and weakened within the male's grip around her. "I dreamed that Eric was going to kill me with a death arrow...after making me love him."_

_"Well, he isn't here. You're safe here, remember?"_

_"Yeah."_

Alice's previously confused gaze changed as she gave into the kiss, and felt her body's maram leaving. Her eyes opened as she met the person who had been kissing her and holding her. "Kyou? Where am...I?"

"Alice, you're back!" He hugged her tighter before letting her look around, when she saw Scipio...her body panicked. "Alice-"

"Did I do this?"

"No...he did." He pointe to Eric who was still standing at the maram alter. What was she doing in these wierd robes? "Alice, you were taken over by the maram, and you didn't know what you were doing. He was just about to fully take control of you." Mayura and the others remained speechless as the now self aware girl understood what she had been doing for the past few weeks.

"I'm so sorry...I..." She began to sob into her hands, pulling herself to Scipio's stilll a bit warm body. "I didn't mean to get you killed, it's all my fault..." Mayura's hand touched her shoulder, making her lift her face to see it.

"Then honor his life by defeating Darva."

"I don't know the lost word." Kyou then began to think...Scipio had been trying to say something before the arrow killed him in his ear.

"Alice, I know it." He went to her side and whispered to her quickly before she stood up, wiping her tears from her eyes.

"It would have been better if you had just forgotten what the lotis was completely." Darva's smile continued to grace Eric's face as Alice and Kyou positioned themselves in a united stance as they prepared to attack him. "Karu!"

"Rajei!" Frey's voice called out, using his last reserve to watch their backs. "Do it, now!"

"Namas Sadarumaru Lotis Sotiran!" Eric's body began to twitch as he felt energy leaving his body, his very energy flow was being destroyed as he was being enveloped in the lotis energy that he despised. He fell back against the alter, feeling the carpet beneath him and the entire castle return to normal.

"Curse you...lotis...mast-" His body fell down before dissolving in a fire of Iru, along with his alter. Alice fell to her knees, and Kyou could barely stand as he fell to his butt. The other Lotis Masters had lost most of any sort of reserve, but they could stand still. Kyou was pulled up by Frey, whose wife was picking up her sister. Billy was picking up Scipio's now dead body. They began to move out of the castle with what they had left of themselves, which was nothing more than their bodies and a few injuries. When they had arrived back at headquarters, Alice remained in her room. Kyou, newly healed, tried to cheer her up.

"Alice, I'm so glad to see you back."

"I let him die..." The girl began to cry into her pillow once again, which was easily replaced by his chest and embrace. She held him close and cried all her sorrows within his muscular abdomen.


	14. Chapter 14

To Love a Theif

By: Helbaworshipper (AKA 'Helb')

Chapter 14

Scipio's body lay in his room, and he was cleaned up and dressed in his best robes. The Lotis Masters sat around the still calm inducing leader of the thieves and the lotis itself, his face seemed at peace. They had an ideal to leave him for a bit while they readied the Iru fire for his new life. Alice remained in her room, trying to to get the past events in her mind right. She couldn't find the energy to help out with the Iru fire either, and found herself slowly falling asleep again.

_"Alice? I'm sure this is not our first meeting." Her dream body saw something so shocking she couldn't even register he was picking her up. "It is not your fault that it was my time to lose my human body." She began to cry within his chest, even though the tears were only small things she could feel on her cheek. "I have another guest, could you see her before you must mourn my death?" A pink blob of hair came to her before she saw the familiar ears and the robes._

_"Neyo...zeka?"_

_"Alice!" The creature ran into Alice's chest, and she held her pet close to her. She held her close enough to rub insistently against her cheeks as she seemed to be crying tears of joy. The rabbit tried to get out of feeling the dream tears as she pulled up her former master's face. _

_"I didn't know you were still...there. I was so sad when you died that I..."_

_"Well, I've always been watching over you. I knew you'd get out of that spell that Darva put on you. Now I want you to cheer up and stop crying over what happened. Keep your chin up and work hard." The girl nodded before the images dissapeared and someone was shaking her awake._

"Alice?" It was Kyou, who had apparently been waiting awhile for her to wake. "What were you dreaming about?" She smiled before placing herself with a more like her smile, which surprised the in love male. She began to describe her dream with a smile eternally placed on her face as she remembered it.

Mayura and Frey...

Mayura looked at her husband for a moment before placing more emphasis on her words. "I worry for my sister, she seems to be blaming Scipio's death on herself." She knew that it wasn't the fault of the one known as her sister, but the world was not always easy. Kyou had ran out earlier to go and find out how Alice was doing. She had not appeared earlier either, but it was expected from the one who had just awakened from some sort of strange dream. "Yet, I blame myself more than she would ever blame herself." She pulled back her lotis bracelet and looked out into the gardens. She longed to run into them and find Scipio out there, Frey had once told her about a moment he had come looking for him. All he did was place a hand on Frey's shoulder and he felt better than before. "We will miss you Scipio." Billy's own hands seemed to be on auto pilot, his eyes concentrated on the fire. Chris was well hidden in the corner as he was being let away by Mei Lin. The silence was deafening, and no one else seemed to speak as they waited.

Funeral Fire...

All the Lotis Thieves watched Scipio's body burn, not realizing Alice had actually come out of her room. When she moved towards the fire, Mayura pulled her close and began to cry upon her sister's shoulder. Alice allowed her to do so, and returned the embrace. Alice knew she had cried all the tears that she could have allowed her eyes to shed. Besides, Neyozeka had told her to keep her chin up, so she was ready for anything now.

When the fire of Iru had died, Kyou was the only one left out with Alice. Everyone else had retired to eat something because they had not actually ate a thing yet. Kyou was ready for what he had been planning. Perhaps it would help even the lotis find some hope there was a future besides Darva's destruction. "Alice?" The female turned to him, her eyes glowing a little more than they had before. "I know that the war is over, but I don't have a kingdom to return to."

"You are welcome in any kingdom I assume, I'm sure people will help you."

"I was wondering something...that may..."

"Yes?" He moved closer to her before he took a deep breath. "You can tell me anything that you think I may handle."

"I was wondering if you would follow what you're parent's had planned."

"You mean the marriage? I see, you're asking me to marry you personally."

"Yeah." The dense male blushed as he nodded and watched her in thought for a moment.

"Of course." She approached him as she placed her lips on his slowly, he deepened it in a moment as they relished that one peaceful moment.

And they lived _happily_ _ever after_...


End file.
